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Hearing On Request For School Continued

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By B.C. MANION The Tampa Tribune

Published: December 12, 2007

LUTZ - A public hearing on a request to permit a small private school on Livingston Avenue, south of Regal Drive, will be continued until Feb. 1.

The hearing was scheduled for Friday, but the county staff continued it because of problems with public notice for the meeting and the site plan needs to be revised.

.Todd Scime, a representative of the applicant, also needed ore time to respond to issues raised by county staff.
Libertas Academy is seeking the permit for a school that would have a maximum of 40 students in pre-kindergarten through 12th grade, Scime said.

The school began operating a few months ago, Scime said. "They're trying to bring themselves into compliance."

The academy, which has 25 students, had been operating on North Boulevard but relocated because of a substantial increase in rent, Scime said.

It now is leasing space from Calvary Chapel of Tampa, in a tan metal building at 17538 Livingston Ave.

The school has had minimal impacts, Scime said. But neighbors have complained that children are too noisy when they're playing outdoors.

He also thinks neighbors have a misconception about what the school wants to do.

"I think mainly their opposition is that they think there is going to be large number of students. What may not be clear to the neighborhood is that we're only asking for a maximum of 40 students. We're not looking to create a Jesuit high school or a Tampa Catholic here," Scime said.

The applicant only wants to use space in an existing church building, Scime said.

But one neighbor has questioned the accuracy of a survey used to permit the church building, according to an e-mail sent to Hillsborough County Commissioner Ken Hagan.

The e-mail has been forwarded to county staff for review.
County staff have raised a number of questions about the church that it wants answered before a hearing is held on the special use request. Staff is questioning the location of the dumpster and the outdoor play area, the lack of outdoor lighting, and the lack of documentation relating to parking needs.

It also wants a clear delineation of the property line.

Scime said it will take time to get the information to answer the staff's questions. .

Reporter B.C Manion can be reached at (813) 865-1507 or bmanion @tampatrib.com.

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